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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22379005">The Paladin of Duscur</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ttacticianmagician/pseuds/ttacticianmagician'>ttacticianmagician</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Belated Dedue Week 2020 [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses, Voltron: Legendary Defender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Fusion, Crossover, Dedue Week (Fire Emblem), Gen, Giant Robots, Other characters mentioned - Freeform, Sci-Fi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-01-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-01-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 15:29:07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,557</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22379005</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ttacticianmagician/pseuds/ttacticianmagician</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When Dedue went to the Fhirdiad Space Academy's five year class reunion, he did not expect to find his long lost liege, Dimitri, to crash land nearby. He also did not expect to get whisked away by a giant blue lion robot to a mysterious castle with a mysterious princess. And he most certainly did not expect to appointed as one of the five paladins of Voltron, a legendary robot with enough power to defeat the Adrestian Empire. </p>
<p>But before he becomes the Yellow Paladin, he must first find the Yellow Lion.</p>
<p>Written for Dedue Week 2020 Day 6: AU</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Belated Dedue Week 2020 [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1605457</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Paladin of Duscur</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This AU idea has been kicking around in my head for a while, just because it matches up nicely with the Blue Lion house. But there's a lot more to this AU than what I can cover in a one-shot. I don't really have enough time to really flesh out this idea, but I am fond of it, so hopefully I can come back to it later!</p>
<p>Also as a disclaimer, I haven't watched Voltron in a long time, so I might be misremembering some details. I looked up general stuff on the Voltron wiki but beyond that, I'm winging it.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It had been a rough five years for Dedue Molinaro.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Shortly after he graduated from the Fhirdiad Space Academy, the Adrestian Empire declared war against its neighboring powers, the Kingdom of Faerghus and the Leicester Alliance. The prince of Faerghus, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd, joined the battlefront alongside Dedue and his classmates. Then, during a skirmish, he and an elite knight in his retinue, Gustave Dominic, vanished without a trace.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Some say his ship was pulverized into dust. Others thought that he ran away from the fight, unable to bear the burden of losing. Dedue believed that his liege and friend was captured by the Adrestian Empire. So began a very long search that bore no fruit until he decided to attend his five year class reunion in Fhirdiad. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>An Adrestian scout shop crashed nearby. Piloting it was the long lost prince, boasting scars both seen and unseen and a cyberbionic right eyeball made of Adrestian tech. Before anyone could comment upon this miracle, Dimitri started raving about a mythical weapon that could defeat the Adrestian Empire once and for all. After many twists and turns, the eight of them managed to find said weapon, which was a blue lion-shaped space vessel that rocketed into the heavens with everyone on board. The blue lion ship brought them to a mysterious castle on an unknown planet, where they found a young woman and some of her subjects frozen in stasis. Once awakened, she proceeded to explain everything, but her words still sounded like nonsense to Dedue's ears.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yet he couldn't deny them. Her name was Princess Byleth, among the last of an ancient race called the Nabateans and alive and well after one thousand years of hibernation. The eight alumni of the Fhirdiad Space Academy were brought here to enable the return of Voltron, a legendary robot that would be able to end the oppressive reign of the Adrestian Empire. Voltron was composed of five Lions, and the Blue Lion, as she called it, already chosen Sylvain Jose Gautier as its Paladin. Three of the remaining four Lions were scattered throughout the universe. The last Lion, known as the Black Lion, rested here, in the castle known as Garreg Mach, awaiting the return of its brethren. Right now, Princess Byleth was assigning people on retrieval missions and anointing some of them as future Paladins of Voltron.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Dedue Molinaro."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Princess Byleth turned her piercing cyan gaze towards the aforementioned man. He froze in place, unsure of why he was deserving of the attention. After all, Dedue was an outsider in this motley crew. He wasn't even from the Fodlan galaxy like the rest of them. He hailed from the galaxy of Duscur, and his heritage showed through the scaly, stony patches on his face and small horns that erupted through his silver hair. His decidedly alien appearance wouldn't be so bad if the Duscurians weren't also to blame for the recent deaths of the Faerghus royal family. It was already absurd enough that he became a retainer for the surviving prince of Faerghus, Dimitri, found him after his five-year absence, and ended up following him to this mystical place. But to also become a heroic Paladin like the princess spoke of? He could only wonder why.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"The Yellow Lion desires a steadfast Paladin." Princess Byleth continued on, answering his unspoken question. "As one of the legs of Voltron, the Yellow Lion must be able to stand tall in the most dire of situations. Its Paladin will become the foundation of the other Paladins, someone that they can place their trust in and have that trust returned a thousandfold.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I see that you have a strong heart and an unwavering sense of loyalty, Dedue Molinaro. For these reasons, I have chosen you to pilot the Yellow Lion."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Even after hearing her, he had no idea what to say. Besides his doubts, he also immediately thought of Dimitri, who was not present for this meeting. Besides the obvious injuries, His Highness also seemed to have lost some of his sanity. He spoke to ghosts that only he could see, refused to keep company unless necessary, and brutally slaughtered any foes in his path. Still, Dimitri managed to hold himself together until they arrived at Garreg Mach. He collapsed from exhaustion shortly after Byleth awakened, and was whisked away to his own hibernation pod so he could heal from his trauma.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With these concerns on his mind, Dedue thought of what he wanted to say. "I am honored that you have chosen me, Princess. But as His Highness's retainer, I must stay with him until he recovers."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Your dedication to your liege is striking." Byleth murmured. "But this is the best course of action for Dimitri, as well as for the rest of the universe. I can assure you that no harm will befall him while you are away."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As much as he hated to, Dedue had to relent. She made it obvious that she had no intention of backing down. It would be easier for everyone if he agreed with her, finished the mission, and returned to Garreg Mach and Dimitri as soon as he could.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"The Yellow Lion is on a deserted planet in the Sreng galaxy." Byleth hovers a finger over a glowing point in her holographic 3D map. "Judging from the energy signatures, it is a possibility that Adrestian troops are present. So you will be accompanied by the Blue Lion, its Paladin, and…"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She studied the people assembled before her. Dedue realized that although she had accurate enough impressions of their personalities in order to assign Paladins, she knew little about their skills and experience. He felt those vibrant blue eyes turning to him. He suspected that she was silently asking for his opinion.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Mercedes von Martritz." Dedue announced. "If the mission is dangerous like you suspect, we will need a medic."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He also didn't want to be locked in a small compartment with just Sylvain. His probing questions and carefree attitude got on his nerves sometimes. At least if there was a woman present, she would draw attention away from Dedue.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Very well." Byleth nodded. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She then proceeded to appoint Ingrid as the Green Lion's Paladin, and tasked her and Ashe to retrieve it from a forested planet in the Brigid galaxy. Felix, the future Red Paladin, was to wait here with Annette until she determined the location of the Red Lion. When Byleth did not mention the Black Lion's Paladin, Dedue assumed that she meant to give that coveted role to Dimitri. He almost protested against that decision out loud, saying that His Highness was not well enough yet. But he was offered no time to voice his opinions. Princess Byleth's trusted advisor, Seteth, prepared a spaceship for Ingrid and Ashe while Byleth herself worked on conjuring wormholes that would take the two parties to their destinations.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I can only hold the wormhole open for two hours." She tells the departing teams. "So do not tarry. Good luck on your missions."</span>
</p>
<p> </p><hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The ride to the deserted planet was a long and uncomfortable one. The Blue Lion was not built for three passengers, especially when one was as large as Dedue. But it was a marked improvement over the last time he rode this ship with seven other people. And they actually knew where they were going this time.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mercedes was praying to the goddess of Fodlan in her corner of the Lion. Followers of the Church of Seiros were not uncommon in this section of the Fodlan Galaxy, but most of them didn't enlist in military academies like she did. Even though he didn't believe in the goddess or the saints, Dedue still preferred her quiet whispers over Sylvain's off-color remarks. Luckily, he was too focused on piloting to be annoying like usual.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Dedue?" Mercedes glanced up at him after she was finished with her prayers. "How are you doing?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I am fine." He didn't bother looking up from his weapon maintenance. None of them brought many weapons with them when the Blue Lion stole them to Garreg Mach, but Princess Byleth was able to supply them with some equipment. Surprisingly, Nabateans tech was similar to Fodlanese tech, just a little more archaic looking.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"That's good." Mercedes breathed. "I was wondering how you felt about Dimitri. I know you took his absence the hardest out of all of us."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dedue paused. What she said was true. During those five years, he basically disappeared himself in order to chase after any lead to Dimitri's whereabouts. He was unsuccessful, of course, but he never gave up hope. He only took a detour to make the promised class reunion at Fhirdiad, which Dimitri was also able to attend by sheer coincidence.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I am glad that he returned to us." Dedue paraphrased his thoughts succinctly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Even in the state he's in?" Mercedes was too kind to directly mention how unhinged Dimitri became since they last saw him. But Dedue always knew that such darkness lurked within His Highness, ever since the prince saved his life in the riots after the Tragedy of Duscur. He knew that one day, the darkness would break through his thin veneer composure he displayed in their academy years. And when that day came, all that mattered was keeping Dimitri safe.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sylvain did not take His Highness's sudden change as readily as Dedue, nor was he as considerate as Mercedes about it. "Yeah, His Highness is definitely not the same man as before. I wonder why the princess wants him as the Black Paladin. Don't get me wrong, he's definitely cut out to lead the team, but he's more likely to lead us into a death charge at this rate. Maybe she should make me the boss instead."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I wouldn't get your hopes up." Dedue went back to cleaning his rifle.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Hey! I would make a great Black Paladin, I'll have you know!" Sylvain retorted. "After all, the Blue Lion chose me, out of all of us. That's gotta count for something."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dedue got the impression that Sylvain wasn't listening to Princess Byleth at all when she explained the attributes that the Blue Lion sought. He was probably too busy ogling the beautiful woman in front of him. Dedue and Mercedes silently opted not to tell him about what he missed, preferring to let him simmer happily in his own ignorance.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Their destination couldn't come soon enough. The terrain beneath them was a mixture of sand and parched stone. There were no signs of life anywhere until the Blue Lion approached the coordinates that Byleth had given them. Like she surmised, the three of them spotted a mining operation beyond a ridge, protected by several regiments of armed guards, combat drones, and artillery cannons.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Alright. Cool. We got a welcoming party." Sylvain was not fazed by the display of power. "Let's see what this baby can do."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Hold on!" Mercedes shouted before Sylvain charged into the fray. "Look! Those guns aren't pointing at us, but at the entrance to the mine. That means they probably don't know that we are here, so we should take advantage of our element of surprise."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I agree with Mercedes." Dedue concurred. "She and I could sneak into their base to look for the Yellow Lion. You can provide a distraction."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"A distraction? You're reducing a component of the legendary defender of the universe as a distraction?" </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"A distraction that can eliminate many of the threats that would otherwise impede us." Dedue corrected Sylvain before he noticed the silly grin on his face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Sure. Let's go with that." Sylvain laughed. "But how are you going to get there before I start lighting things up? We don't exactly have a hoverbike or anything like that."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As if responding to his words, a large panel towards the back of the Blue Lion opened up to reveal a hoverbike. The three of them stared at the vehicle in bewilderment before Sylvain's smile grew bigger.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Heh. A Paladin could get used to this. Hey, how about finding me a beautiful and lonely woman next?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Focus, Sylvain." Dedue tested the bike by sitting in its seat. Unfortunately, it was a bit too small for him. He might have been able to drive it if he didn't also have someone else with him and was going to charge into enemy territory. Riding classes with small land vehicles were one of his weaker subjects in the academy.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mercedes sensed his hesitation and placed a hand on the hoverbike's handle. "Dedue, did you want me to drive?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Are you able?" He glanced up at her in surprise. "This mission isn't going to be like our training. Anything can happen."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I know. But Dimitri isn't the only one that has changed over the last five years." She sounded a bit mournful as she spoke. "This bike is similar enough to the ones battlefield medics use. Besides, my magitech gloves won't be of much use at high speeds. Your rifle will be better."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Very well." Dedue gave up his seat to Mercedes. Part of him felt sorry for the gentle woman that was too kind to be in the thick of war, but part of him appreciated her newfound experience and confidence. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The door outside opened up. Mercedes twisted the handles and sped off like a rocket. A cloud of sand and dust kicked up around them, temporarily blinding them until the HUD in their helmets adapted. They drove around the ridge towards the outskirts of the base, too far away for any cannon to reach. But it wouldn't be long before the Adrestian soldiers noticed them, especially as they closed in.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Which is why they needed Sylvain. Behind them, the Blue Lion roared and lunged forward, firing lasers at the artillery. It managed to destroy two cannons before it landed in the middle of the clearing. The Adrestian troops were obviously startled, but eventually got their act together and did everything they could to stand a fighting chance against the Blue Lion. They shot at it with their plasma rifles, tossed shock grenades at its feet, and even ran up to it to hack away with energy swords. But nothing they used could land on the agile mech or, if they did hit, make a dent in its armor. The only weapons that might be a threat were the artillery cannons, which were taken out as quickly as possible.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With all eyes on the Blue Lion, Dedue and Mercedes sped into gaping cavern without much resistance. But that didn't mean that the rest of the journey would be easy. The dark tunnels were uneven and narrow, proving to be a challenge for Mercedes to navigate. It was like a maze down here, and the Yellow Lion's coordinates didn't provide much help since they only gave a general location. They had to stick to the wider and more trodden on paths and hope that they will lead them well.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Busier roads meant more guards. The soldiers that remained in the mine still got their fill of action by shooting at the strange hoverbike that passed through. Mercedes did her best to weave around the energy bullets, but her movements were wild and reckless. Dedue had to hang onto her with one hand and fire back with his other. He wasn't able to land many of his shots, but perhaps they didn't need to. All they needed to do was get to the Yellow Lion and use its superior weaponry to bust through what he couldn't defeat before.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mercedes suddenly applied the brakes. Dedue almost dropped his gun as he lurched forward.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"What happened?" He asked harshly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"The coordinates say that the Yellow Lion is just around the corner. But there's bound to be lots of guards with it. We need to take a look before we charge in." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mercedes got off the bike to scout ahead. Dedue joined her and saw that she was completely right. In the large chamber ahead was an amber lion-shaped robot that was bulkier than the Blue Lion. It was enclosed in a cyan, semi-translucent barrier that Dedue knew from experience was impenetrable to everything but its Paladin. In front of the barrier was a squad of Adrestian soldiers, each armed with a standard rifle. What made them more imposing than the other troops was the steely look on their faces. They were guarding this treasure with their very lives.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"And, in case you have forgotten, the soldiers we passed earlier are still chasing us." Dedue glanced back into the darkness. Although he couldn't see them, he could hear the unmistakable drumming of hasty footsteps echoing off the cavern walls.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mercedes's lips formed a narrow line. It would be exceedingly difficult to ride there and blast everyone away. They were more liable to crash into the barrier or get entangled by bodies. There was one other option, but Dedue didn't want to voice it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mercedes did. "I'm going to scatter the troops ahead with a Ragnarok spell. You need to get to the Yellow Lion."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dedue couldn't believe what he was hearing. He shook his head frantically. "I can't leave you alone against two separate platoons. You will be defeated in no time."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"The Yellow Lion is more important than me. It's the key to defeating the Empire and saving the universe." Mercedes took Dedue's hands and placed them on the bike's handles. "Besides, I am not alone. The goddess is with me."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dedue opened his mouth to protest further. If he was in Mercedes's shoes, he would not be relying on a vague, maybe non-existent being to protect him from harm. But he would also know how important this mission was.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I am also with you." He seated himself back on the bike. "You will not fall, not while I draw breath."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Thank you, Dedue." Mercedes smiled. "Wait until I've dealt with these soldiers before you drive up. I can't let you get hurt."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She gave his hands a squeeze before walking away. Her own hands, covered by gloves with intricate lines and symbols, started glowing. Dedue peeked around the corner to watch her foolhardy plan come to life. When she stepped into the next chamber, the squadron of Adrestian soldiers were caught off guard. They probably did not expect a single woman without a gun on her person to come out of the cavern.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Please, put down your weapons." Mercedes pleaded. "We have no quarrel with you. We only need to retrieve the Yellow Lion."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The clicking of guns readying themselves rang out, along with a soldier's response. "We cannot let you take this weapon! Its power is for the Empire and the Empire alone."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Do you even know what the Yellow Lion is? It is a symbol of peace! It won't allow you to use it for your nefarious purposes!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Death to all who oppose the Empire!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mercedes sighed. "It's unfortunate that my words aren't reaching you. May the goddess guide your lost souls into her arms."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The sigils on her gloves flared to life. Mercedes held up her hands and shouted an incantation. Red-hot cracks in the earth appeared underneath the feet of the soldiers, which then burst open and engulfed them in fiery plumes. The Adrestians that didn't succumb to her spell opened fire immediately. The heat of Ragnarok slowed the projectiles enough to allow her to dodge them. She kept her arms outstretched to maintain the spell as she hid behind some nearby crates. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The footsteps behind Dedue were getting dangerously close. Even if some troops in the next room remained, he had no choice but to act now. The hoverbike rounded the corner and accelerated towards the blazing chaos that Mercedes caused. He quickly shot ahead with his rifle, not aiming for anything in particular. His bullets managed to landed on a few soldiers, knocking them over and out of the way. He barrelled through another distracted Adrestian before entering the flames. His suit did protect him from most of the damage, but his head still spun from the blistering heat. It took all his willpower to stay on the bike and keep pressing forward.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The trip through the blaze only lasted for a few seconds but it felt like an eternity. When Dedue finally left it behind, he screeched to a halt right in front of the Yellow Lion. He took off his helmet so he could cool his head. As soon as he let his guard down, plasma shots struck the barrier inches from his body. Dedue couldn't see his target amidst the swirling flames and smoke, yet he whirled around and fired back anyway. None of his shots landed. Mercedes made up for his miss by launching a fireball at the source of the gunfire. Her spell connected, eliciting a scream from her victim, but her brief moment of vulnerability allowed someone else to land a shot on her shoulder.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She yelped in pain. Dedue commanded himself to stay here and not rush to her side. Once he got this barrier open and seated himself within the Yellow Lion, he could save her. But how was he going to get in? He banged on the wall of light with his fists, wishing that he paid more attention when they first discovered the Blue Lion.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I am Dedue Molinaro, your new Paladin who was appointed by Princess Byleth!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The barrier did not budge. Dedue stepped to the side to avoid more shots aimed in his general direction.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Please, let me in! Mercedes is hurt, and I need you to save her!" He slammed against the barrier once more, and was surprised when it gave way. He stumbled backwards and through the barrier, only straightening himself when the door into the Lion slowly opened up. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dedue rushed inside without hesitation. The inner workings of the Yellow Lion seemed similar to the Blue Lion's, only roomier and golden in color. He did not mind either of those two traits at all. He only needed to know how to turn his new robot on and how to use it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When he sat down in the chair, the assortment of buttons, levers, and screens overwhelmed him at first. But as soon as he took a deep breath and calmed down, his fingers were drawn to the right combination. A flipped switch here, a button press there, and the lights around him grew brighter. In front of Dedue, a screen flickered to life and showed him the battle that still raged outside.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He tightened his grip around a pair of handlebars. A low growl emitted from the depths of the Yellow Lion. The sound shook him to his core, but he knew that it wasn't a threatening noise. It was a greeting, and acknowledgement of his desire.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Let's get to work." Dedue pushed the right handle forward. The barrier around the Lion was dispelled as a paw swiped at and bowled over the remaining Adrestian troops. The Yellow Lion stood up on all fours and pounced at the entrance of the chamber where more soldiers were filing in. Their bullets ricocheted off its armor harmlessly. Dedue couldn't feel any sort of impact at all. He swatted away more Adrestians with impunity, using this opportunity to figure out the rest of the Yellow Lion's control scheme. Try as he might, he couldn't tell which buttons would activate the guns on this thing. Does it even have guns?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A bolt of plasma struck the Lion's eyes. It didn't hurt Dedue, but the brief buzz of static on the screen told him that he should just end this now. With another swipe, he raked the rocks above the only entrance of this chamber. Boulders crumbled into a heaping, impenetrable pile that barricaded the hallway.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Once the dust cleared, he glanced around the room, looking for Mercedes. He eventually spotted her crouching behind a stack of crates.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Are you alright?" His voice rang out from the Lion's unseen loudspeaker.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I can walk." She replied. She tried to hide the burn on her shoulder with her other hand and her vague response.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Good enough. Get inside, quickly." Dedue flipped a switch to open the door. Once she brought herself and the hoverbike into the Lion, she knelt down on the cold floor next to his seat. Now that Dedue could see her in person, he noticed that the wound on her shoulder wasn't the only injury she received. There were a number of black, ashy marks around her gloves and boots, an indication that she used too much fire magitech in the previous battle. Mercedes was already working on healing herself, but she definitely wouldn't be able to join anymore fights today.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Which was fine by Dedue. Now he had the Yellow Lion, they should focus on getting out of here. Except that he had blocked off the route they came through, in order to stop additional reinforcements.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Dedue." Mercedes spoke up in between labored breaths. "Based on our coordinates and the rudimentary map I built on the way here, we should be right under the entrance to the mine."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"How far underground are we?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Not too far. Why?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You might want to hold onto something for this." Dedue tested the Yellow Lion's limbs by pulling at its control sticks. He had a stupidly dangerous plan in mind, but they had no choice. They had to leave this place, one way or another. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Once he determined that the Lion was in good enough shape for this stunt, he launched it towards the ceiling with alarming speed. Every instinct that was hammered into him from his time at the Fhirdiad Space Academy screamed at him to pull back. But some other, unknown feeling reassured him that everything was going to be ok. Right before they crashed into the rocky ceiling, Dedue twisted the Lion's body so it spun like a drill. The impact made him jerk wildly in his seat and Mercedes fall over, but the Yellow Lion remained intact. It kept spiraling forward, tunneling through the earth with astounding efficiency. A few seconds later, it erupted from the ground and into the sunlight. Just as it landed in front of the Blue Lion, it was greeted by two rockets that was aiming for the target behind him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Already dizzy from the Lion's rapid spinning, Dedue was further nauseated by the sudden explosion. Yet the Yellow Lion remained upright on its feet. Its Paladin groaned loudly and clutched his head. He was not used to feeling an attack through the Lion's sturdy armor. He wasn't used to any of this, really.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But Sylvain wasn't giving them anymore time to recuperate. "Well, that's one way to make an entrance." His cheery voice spoke through a telelink between the two Lions.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Sylvain! Are you alright?" Mercedes shook off her headache to shout back.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'm hanging in there. The Blue Lion isn't damaged, but now they're bringing in the big guns." Sylvain grumbled. "Thanks for blocking those missiles by the way."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"It was not my intention, but you're welcome." Dedue turned his gaze towards the unfamiliar tanks that fired those missiles. It looked like they were readying themselves for another explosive barrage, but since there was nary a scratch on the Yellow Lion, they may also be reconsidering their effectiveness. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dedue sought to take advantage of the enemy's hesitation by attacking them, but he also did not want to leave Sylvain unguarded. He pressed several buttons, hoping to activate the long ranged weaponry on this Lion, but nothing happened. Was it possible that the Yellow Lion had no guns whatsoever? That was something to ask Princess Byleth later. For now, he had to take care of those rocket launchers if they hope to get off this planet intact.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Sylvain." Dedue spoke. "I will deal with the tanks. You can focus on the infantry."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Sounds good to me." Sylvain concurred. His Lion jumped away to swat away an approaching battalion. Dedue kept his eyes on the rockets, moving to shield his vulnerable partner from its blasts. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Just remember, we only have 15 minutes left before the wormhole closes." Mercedes piped up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Already? Man, you guys took your sweet time down there."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dedue chose not to respond to Sylvain's playful jabs, but he felt the same sense of urgency as his fellow Paladin. During a break between missile shots, he charged at the tanks, ignoring the soldiers that fired uselessly at him. One of the tanks launch a rocket that the Yellow Lion somehow managed to catch in its mouth. Dedue threw the intact projectile back at its original owner, exploding it to smithereens. Amidst the blazing wreckage, the Yellow Lion rammed into and stomped on the remaining tanks. For good measure, it picked up the last vehicle and tossed it at some soldiers that were heckling Sylvain.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"We're done here." Dedue told him. "Let's go."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Right behind you!" The Blue Lion fired one more laser at whoever still opposed them before launching itself into the sky.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dedue ended up trailing after Sylvain as he worked on figuring out how to fly his new spacecraft. It took him a while to get off the ground, activate the boosters in the rear, and position the Lion for maximum aerodynamics. And, as it turns out, the Yellow Lion was a bit slower than the Blue Lion due to its bulk. The distance between them steadily grew larger, while the glowing wormhole shrunk with each passing second.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Are we going to make it?" Mercedes held onto Dedue's chair as if preparing for the worst.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"We have to." Dedue poured every ounce of speed into his Lion. They had five minutes left. The wormhole was basically a lion-sized portal. Sylvain had reached it already, but lingered around to make sure that the Yellow Lion caught up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Two minutes left. Dedue swore under his breath before speaking into the telelink. "Sylvain, go on without me. We can still save at least one Lion."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I can't! Voltron needs all the Lions to work!" Sylvain yelled as he flew back to the Yellow Lion. Dedue was about to protest, saying that his backtracking wasted time, before he was interrupted.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Grab onto my tail." Sylvain held out the Blue Lion's tail in front of the Yellow Lion's mouth. "I'm going to pull you back if I have to."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"This is not a good idea. If I slow you down and we both don't make it…" Dedue trailed off, unable to finish his thought.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I told you already, we need everyone!" Sylvain insisted. "And besides, with a beautiful woman like Mercedes in danger, I'll be working twice as hard!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dedue was about to tell him that this was not the time for jokes. But it also wasn't the time to complain about Sylvain's attitude. He pulled a lever to make the Yellow Lion chomp down on the tail. With a few more button presses, both Lions rocketed towards the vanishing wormhole. One minute left. They were going faster now, but would it be enough? Mercedes recited another prayer beside him and Dedue found himself closing his eyes. He didn't normally shy away from close calls, but this was an exceptional situation that he couldn't bear to watch.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Lights flickered in front of his eyelids. When he opened his eyes, he found himself staring down at a blue and green planet. He never thought that he would be so relieved to see such colors in his life.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sylvain deafened his ears by whooping into the telelink. "Woohoo! We made it!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Thank the goddess." Mercedes breathed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Next time, let's be more efficient with our time management." Dedue mumbled just as he spotted two spacecrafts approaching them. One of them was a standard ship with a Nabatean flair while the other was shaped similarly to their Lions, only smaller and green and color.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Hey, you guys came back!" Ingrid exclaimed from her Green Lion.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"What, did you think otherwise?" Sylvain teased.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His remark almost provoked an angry response from Ingrid, but another voice cut her off. "We were just really worried when you didn't appear until like, a few seconds before the wormhole closed."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You have our apologies for the delay." Dedue said to Ashe. "We met more resistance on the ground than we anticipated."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"How about you two? Did your mission go well?" Mercedes asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Yeah! It was... actually kinda strange." He could hear a bit of disbelief in Ingrid's voice, like she wasn't sure of what she witnessed. "There was this boat with a sloth alien guide, and when we rode along the river…"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ingrid and Ashe enthusiastically filled them in while the four spaceships descended towards the planet's surface. Dedue was still in a state of disbelief over what he just did. Despite various setbacks, his team accomplished their goals and got the Yellow Lion back. He was a Paladin of Voltron now, a hero chosen by Princess Byleth to save the universe. He was honored and humbled by his new title, as anyone would be, but it somehow wasn't his most pressing concern at the moment. Dedue found himself wondering about Prince Dimitri, and how he fared while he was away. He hoped that his liege had gotten a little bit better as the Yellow Lion drew closer to Garreg Mach.</span>
</p>
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